District Assessments for Families

The Kindergarten Readiness Inventory (KRI) is administered at the beginning of Kindergarten. The KRI includes readiness measures of literacy, social-emotional learning, fine motor skills, and numeracy. You can discuss with your child's teacher  about how to use this information to identify students' strengths and needs as they begin their school careers.

Star assessments are computer adaptive tests in Early Literacy, Reading, and Math that are designed to provide accurate, valid and reliable data for informing standards based instruction and progress monitoring. Star assessments are administered in 20-30 minutes and will be administered to all students in grades K-10. 

Star CBMs (Curriculum Based Measures) are valid and reliable assessments used to identify students who are at-risk for phonological processing challenges in grades K & 1.

 What are Star assessments?

The Star Assessments are computer adaptive tests created by Renaissance Learning, designed to provide teachers and families information about students' reading and math achievement.

Translated Star Info For Families:

• Star Early Literacy
• Star Reading
• Star Math

What are computer-adaptive tests?

Star assessments are computer-adaptive tests (CATs). Computer-adaptive tests continually adjust the difficulty of each child’s test by choosing each test question based on the child’s previous response. If the child answers a question correctly, the difficulty level of the next item is increased. If the child misses a question, the difficulty level is decreased. CATs save testing time and spare your child the frustration of items that are too difficult and the boredom of items that are too easy.

For more details, view sample test items for Star Reading and Star Math.

How long does it take to complete a Star assessment?

Star tests are designed to be as efficient as possible. On average, students will complete the Star Math/Star Reading tests in about 20-30 or the Star Early Literacy test in 10-15 minutes. However, some students may require more time.

What are Star assessments used for?

Star assessments provide a picture of a child's current learning in reading and math, and can also be used to monitor your child’s learning growth throughout the year. In addition, Star can help your child’s teacher plan appropriate instruction to address the skills that your child is ready to learn.

How are Star assessments scored?

Star assessments measure proficiency using a scaled score (SS), which is based on the complexity of the questions answered correctly. The Star assessments provide a unified scaled score ranging from 0–1400 which can then be used to identify a students' achievement for the time of year when they took the test. The scaled score can be used to identify how a student is progressing toward grade level expectations: 1) Not Yet Approaching, 2) Approaching, 3) Meeting, 4) Exceeding.

How can I help my child prepare for a Star assessment?

Please communicate with your child’s teacher to learn when they will administer the Star assessments. During this time, it is important for you to encourage your child to try their best on the assessment. Since Star is a general measure of student ability in math or reading, students perform best on the assessment in the same way they perform best in school—when they have had plenty of rest, attend school regularly and have eaten breakfast.

How will I know how my child is doing?

You will receive a Star student report through ParentVue to learn how your child did on the Star tests after each testing window right before Parent Teacher Conference Week: November 18-22 & March 3-7. It is always important to keep open communication with your child’s teacher to learn more about how your child has progressed and what skills they are working on in Reading and Math. 

How can I help my child with Reading or Math?

SFUSD staff has created an At Home Resources to Support Student Learning site to provide activities you may do at home with your child to support their reading and math development. These activities are clustered by grade band and also include questions you might ask your child after the activities and learning to support reflection and discussion on what was learned.

What are Star CBMs?

Since, 2023-24 the Star CBMs are administered per pending CA state legislation requiring screening of pupils for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia.  SFUSD will continue to screen for dyslexia, and make updates according to state required specifications each school year.

Sample Student Reports

District Assessment reports are provided to families via ParentVue in mid-November and early March, to align with Parent/Teacher Conference weeks. These assessments provide a snapshot of learning to students, families, teachers, and staff. 

Grade K-2 families will also receive a student report in early June via ParentVue.

Using these results:

• Students can reflect on their own learning and goals.
• Families can support their child at home with their goals.
• Teachers reflect on students' learning and progress to inform instruction.
• School/District staff can improve School/District planning and supports.

Star Assessment Scores

After students take the Star Assessments, their results are reported in two primary ways: scaled scores and achievement levels. A scaled score is the student's overall numerical score. These scores fall on a continuous scale that increases across grade levels. Scaled scores can be used to illustrate students' current level of achievement and their growth over time.

The tables below show the approximate range of scaled scores for students to Meet or Exceed standards (Achievement Levels 3 and 4) in 2024-25.

*These Scaled Score ranges are approximations provided by Renaissance Learning based on the date range for each assessment administration window. Therefore, students taking the assessment towards the middle or end of the assessment window may need a higher scaled score to meet expectations. 

*These Scaled Score ranges are approximations provided by Renaissance Learning based on the date range for each assessment administration window. Therefore, students taking the assessment towards the middle or end of the assessment window may need a higher scaled score to meet expectations.

Read the Star CBM Overview for details regarding SFUSD's Universal Processing Screener in grades K & 1.

Here are some ways that families can support students with the District Assessments:

Before

• Teachers may share areas of strength or need they see in your child.
• Partner with your child's teacher to leverage areas of strength in addressing areas of need at home.

During

• Each student will complete the assessment independently.
• Teachers will monitor students to address issues of technology or directions that could affect student performance. 

After

• Partner with your child’s teacher about the results of the test to better understand what you can do to support your child’s learning at home.